A HALESOWEN Yemeni community group is celebrating winning the prestigious Queen's Award in part for its efforts during the covid pandemic when it became a vaccination centre.

Halesowen/Dudley Yemeni Community Association which is based at Halesowen Cultural Centre in Halesowen has been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The centre provides a variety of youth, religious, educational, and community services. It works with health services and was a vaccine centre during the pandemic.

Centre chair Marwan Bakaili said: “We are hugely thankful for all our incredible team of volunteers who are the solid foundation in all the work and effort in ensuring and providing the vital services serving hundreds of people.

"This prestigious award is in honour of their magnificent contribution to serving the community.

"Together we have helped some of the most vulnerable people within the community especially during the Covid 19 pandemic, the most difficult period in recent history.

"We work in partnerships with many groups and organisations from educational, health, employment training, recreational to provide the vital services that meet the needs of the local community.

"We would like to thank the Yemeni community within Halesowen and the wider Dudley borough for their incredible support and generous donations over many years which has contributed towards the completion of a new purpose built state-of-the-art community building that is now a vibrant hub for the whole community."

Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb visited to meet with leaders and discuss its community work.

She said: “Thank you to the association for inviting me to come and see its wonderful centre that is a focus, not just for the Yemeni community in the area, but also for many other organisations too. Congratulations to all involved for the Queens Award, it is well deserved.

“It is an important community asset with modern facilities."

The building opened in 2018 after a £1.2million funding campaign.

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